The Philomath Police Committee voted to collect additional traffic data on North Ninth Street after residents described near-misses on a blind hill and concerns about wildlife and bicyclists. Police staff said they will deploy a radar speed sign within a week and gather per-vehicle speed and volume records for roughly 7–14 days, then return to the committee with results.

The traffic item matters because the stretch at the crest of the hill is partially outside Philomath city limits, uses different speed limits in places, and includes a privately owned parcel described in staff materials as an “island” that attracts wildlife and limits municipal enforcement. Without updated data on speeds, volumes and times of day, police staff said they could not reliably recommend permanent changes such as new signs, pavement markings or enforcement shifts.

Police staff told the committee that a seven-day speed study done in 2023 on the southbound descent produced an average speed of 28 mph and that the posted city speed is 25 mph in the affected section. The staff review of crash records from February 2004 through the present identified three recorded crashes in the corridor: a 2015 noninjury incident in which a radar trailer was struck, a bicycle-only crash that involved no other vehicle or wildlife, and a slow-speed two-vehicle noninjury crash at Pioneer and Ninth Street. The staff member advising the committee also said portions of Ninth Street are county-maintained and that any significant roadway changes would require county approval.

Committee members and residents suggested several near-term and longer-term options during discussion: deploying the radar sign on the north side of the crest to capture speeds as vehicles accelerate downhill, clearing brush to improve sight lines, painting “25” legends on pavement at the hillcrest, adding signage reminding drivers to watch for bicycles and deer, and collecting pedestrian-count data at pedestrian crossing points such as Pioneer and Ninth. One resident offered to volunteer for pedestrian counts.

City staff described the island annexation process that is already moving through the planning commission and will be before the city council; if approved by the council and voters, residential parcels admitted by island annexation would have a three-year buffer period before municipal code enforcement took full effect, while commercial or industrial parcels would be annexed immediately. The staff member said the island annexation for the property linked to the wildlife complaints was scheduled to appear on a May 2026 ballot if the council forwards it and the planning criteria are met.

Police staff said the radar speed unit they will deploy mounts to a signpost, is solar/battery powered, and typically records either an average speed report or per-vehicle speed/time data; they estimated a single battery cycle would yield roughly 7–14 days of continuous collection depending on traffic volume and output settings. The committee agreed to wait for the radar data and any county traffic counts before forwarding recommendations to the council or asking Benton County for roadway changes.

No ordinance, fine schedule, or enforcement change was adopted at the meeting. The committee scheduled its next regular meeting for Oct. 7 and adjourned at 3:46 p.m.